The Power of Spiritual Integrity*

As human beings we are tremendously afraid of our innate power. 

Humans have moved beyond survival thinking, beyond group/herd mind, to the capacity of thinking as singular beings. In the Natural World, predictable way of acting for group survival and preservation of domain are attributed to "primal" or "limbic" brain activity, also known as "instinct." When scrutinizing spontaneous Acts of Nature humans must  broaden their perspective to understand everything observed, but ultimately the deep pull of instinct becomes clear. 

We humans are complicated. Though we are social beings we are still capable of acting apart from or against our instinct for species and domain survival. For example, humans as individuals are reasonably aware of the needs of others, but in groups become unnaturally defiant and violent against other people and their property. Another example is the paradox of how we treat our domain: though we are entirely dependent upon the Earth and it's atmosphere, large groups of us are capable en masse of damaging and depleting our world and food resources.

The reason for my original statement, that we are afraid of our innate power, is slanted toward Western Culture because it is my place of origin, and because it is a large group that exerts its choices on the rest of the human population. When a singular unit becomes aware that his/her group is not acting in accord with the betterment, or even survival, of the whole there is a strong delimma to be confronted. This may be the most genuine power struggle a person faces: confronting the inner need to be part of a social network without losing Spiritual Integrity.

The return path to integrity is well travelled but by a relatively few number. All spiritual and support communites have a knowing that they are walking outside common social practices and have various degrees of committment toward Whole Globe responsibility. The general guideline is within the phrase "living with integrity." This refers to the active choice of a person to match his/her spiritual beliefs with his/her actions and speech. This brings a person's entire life into consistency, thought, word and deed. 

How can I know when my Spiritual Integrity is guiding me?

1. There is a feeling of calm. In a connected state, our mind and body relate with each other in the moment, thus there is a feeling that everthing is happening as it should. There is a sense of knowing that there is no need to accelerate activity. The breath settles into the trust that an inhale will follow every exhale.

2. The inner body experience feels light. There may be a sense of release, or letting go of something that has been held out of habit. The mind feels freedom when pondering the future under the guidance of Spiritual Integrity, though the analytical thought process is aware of people and situations that may no longer fit into the picture. As a result there will be emotions of sadness, loss, grief, concern and/or frustration. One feeling that is clearly absent is fear, as the power of inner truth carries with it the virtue of wisdom.

3. There is nothing to prove or defend. Though there may be things to explain, truth and inner knowing have their own sense of purpose. The only thing to do is trust and be part of the unfolding experience. A person fully in Spiritual Integrity does not need to give reasons, the body and mind will take actions to maintain the state of connection. Because of a broadened perception, it becomes easier for someone who is changing course toward integrity to feel compassion for people who share their previous mental fixation.

4. Mutual respect and co-creation. Someone acting out of his/her own integrity will not ask other people to compromise their integrity. Even if the other people don't realize it, an integral person will not ask others to go against their best interests. Additionally, when integral people or groups recognize each other's sovereignty spontaneous acts of support for each other will emerge.

Just as important as finding one's own Spiritual Integrity is the attitude of non-attachment to whether other people move in the same direction. As much as it is a challenge to un-do one's own convoluted path to a disconnected mind and life, even more so is the challenge to percieve the conditions that would lead another person into disconnection. The pain of healing from disillusion can easily be underestimated unless we keep in mind the personal transformation we ourselves have passed through. The best we can do is have humility, the ability to ask forgiveness and a gentle heart toward others. 

The final part of this circle is to answer the question What is the power of Spiritual Integrity? It is clear conscience and accountability. It is to know the correct response without needing to check if it is correct by anyone else's standard. It is the ability to give the answer "no" with conviction, and the ability to hear another person's opinion without fear of losing one's own ground. It is also the ability to admit mistakes and accept responsibility for making things right.

With warm regards,

Christian

*The distinction I am making is based on the Chinese Medical Theory, that there are 5 Spirits/Spiritual Essences embodied within the Human Being: Zhi (Willpower), Shen (Spirit), Po (Animal Inheritance), Yi (Cognition/Intelligence) and Hun (Ethereal Body, or the effects of life actions). This is different from the Western concept that the being is made of four aspects: physcial, mental, emotional and spiritual.

My use of "integrity" implies cohesiveness, completeness or a self-stabilized quality, so either the Chinese Medical understanding of 5 Spirits or Western concept of four aspects of being are both sound models. However I felt it worthwhile to explain that "Spiritual Integrity" is not limited to the spiritual aspect of a person as separate from the mental, emotional and physical aspects.